ReSharper 2017.3 Help

Generating Formatting Members

Any type in .NET implements the ToString() method, which returns a string representation of an object of the type. To return a meaningful string for our types, we often need to override the ToString() method.

ReSharper allows you to automate this routine with the Generate formatting members command. Depending on the target C# version, ReSharper either uses interpolated string or String.Format(). Note that you can always convert between those with context actions (Alt+Enter).

You can set up common code generation options on the Code Editing | Members Generation page of ReSharper options.

In the example below, this command is used to generate the ToString() method based on _radius and _center fields.

To generate overrides for formatting members

In the editor, set the caret on the type name or within a type at the line where you want to insert overrides for formatting members. If the caret is on the type name, the generated code will be added in the beginning of the type declaration.

Press Alt+Insert or choose ReSharper | Edit | Generate Code… in the main menu. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl+Shift+A, start typing the command name in the pop-up, and then choose it there.

In the Generate pop-up menu, select Formatting Members.

In the Generate dialog that appears, select fields and/or auto-properties to be used in the ToString() override.

If there are no fields/properties in your type or you do not select any of them, ReSharper, depending on your settings, throws new NotImplementedException(), returns default value, or puts code that will not compile in the body of the generated methods. You can configure the settings on the Code Editing | Members Generation page of ReSharper options.

Use 'nameof' — appears if the target C# version is higher than 6.0. If this check box is selected, ReSharper will use nameof(symbol_name) to define the string representation of the symbol, otherwise, it will calculate the string representation automatically, e.g a filed named _radius will be rendered as "Radius".

Click Finish to complete the wizard. You can also click Options to review or modify common code generation preferences on the Code Editing | Members Generation page of ReSharper options.

You can also generate the override by choosing Overriding Members in the Generate menu, but in this case the override will return base.ToString().

To bind this code generation command to its own shortcut, go to Tools | Options | Environment | Keyboard and assign a shortcut for the ReSharper_GenerateFormattingMembers command.

This feature is supported in the following languages and technologies:

The instructions and examples given here address the use of the feature in C#. For details specific to other languages, see corresponding topics in the ReSharper by Language section.